Grenfell Support News, Issue 23, May 18, 2018

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18 May 2018 | Issue No: 23

Grenfell Support News

New Independent
Adjudicator to bring
extra layer of scrutiny
to Grenfell complaints

A new Independent Adjudicator who
will bring an independent and impartial
view to dealing with Grenfell-related
complaints, has been appointed by
Kensington and Chelsea Council.

Katrina Robinson MBE, will bring a wealth
of experience to the role and starts
with the Council on Monday 21 May.
Katrina is a solicitor with over 20 years'
experience in housing law.

She has worked closely with residents,
including social housing tenants,
throughout her career, investigating
complex complaints and helping social
landlords to improve how they work with
residents. In 2016 she was awarded an
MBE for services to social housing.

Kensington and Chelsea Council is
determined to make sure complaints
about Grenfell services are dealt with
quickly and efficiently and in a fair and

transparent way. The Independent
Adjudicator adds an extra layer of
transparency to this process. She will
work entirely separately from the Grenfell
team and will be outside the normal
Council management structures. She will
report directly to the Chief Executive and
the Leadership Team.

The Council has recently launched a
new dedicated Grenfell Complaints
team which will be solely responsible for
investigating Grenfell-related complaints.
The new Complaints team will handle
all complaints relating to the Grenfell
rehousing process, the Key Work service,
assistance centres and any other area of
the Grenfell directorate.

It will follow the three stage corporate
complaints procedure and will provide a
single point of contact for any residents
wishing to make a complaint.

IN THIS EDITION

2 Grenfell Tower
Public Inquiry

2 Improving Grenfell
Enquiries and
Complaints Service

2 Seeds sown for new
community garden

3 Activities Programme
at The Curve
Community Centre

4 Support services on offer

4 Housing update

4 Free nutrition workshop
for men

4 Half term activities
brochure now available

4 Update on wrapping
Grenfell Tower

The Independent Adjudicator will be the
third stage of this process and will review
complex and sensitive cases, challenge
evidence, question officers, form an
independent judgement and propose
a resolution to the Council. This will
also include reviewing Grenfell housing
allocation decisions and ensuring that
reasonable offers have been made
to residents.

If residents are still not satisfied with
the Independent Adjudicator's
suggested outcome, they can contact
the Local Government Ombudsman.

Find out more at

lgo.org.uk/making-a-complaint

You can contact the Grenfell
Complaints team on

grenfellcomplaints@rbkc.gov.uk

You can find out more about the new
Complaints team on Page 2.

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Grenfell Support News

18 May 2018

Grenfell Tower
Public Inquiry

The Public Inquiry into the Grenfell
tragedy will start on Monday 21 May
2018 and it aims to “examine the
circumstances leading up to and
surrounding the tragedy at Grenfell Tower
on 14June2017."

The Inquiry is independent. It will be for
the Chairman, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, and
panel members, to decide what
documents should be produced and who
should give evidence.

Residents of the Tower, others who live in
the locality and those who have lost
friends and family will be able to take part.
The Government has said that funds will
be made available, where appropriate, to
cover the costs of their legal
representation in the Inquiry.

The Inquiry will be split into two phases.
The official website of the Public Inquiry
recently published a timetable outlining
the timeframe of Phase 1 which is due to
finish in November 2018. We cannot say
for sure how long the whole process will
take, but we do expect it to be continuing
into 2019.

If you would like to find more information
about the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry,
please visit

www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk

Seeds sown for new community garden

London's oldest botanical garden, Chelsea
Physic Garden, is working in collaboration
with the Council's community gardening
team and local community to transform the
Elkstone Road Community Garden Oasis
into a hidden urban paradise in the heart
of North Kensington. This builds on the
good work that Mind Kensington & Chelsea
undertook at the garden.

During the renovation process, staff and
volunteers at Chelsea Physic Garden
worked alongside local residents to help
restore this disused area to a welcoming
space that encourages urban wildlife and
provides a place to learn about the
importance of plants in our everyday lives.

Founded by the Worshipful Society of
Apothecaries of London in 1673, Chelsea
Physic Garden is renowned for its collection

of rare medicinal and useful plants. Their
knowledge within this area will make the
community garden bloom with an array of
edible and medicinal plants. Alongside local
community groups and school children,
Chelsea Physic Garden aims to develop an
urban green oasis, where people can learn
new skills, meet people and enjoy nature.

The new space will host free drop-in
gardening sessions on Thursdays at
3.30pm to 5.30pm throughout summer at

Elkstone Road Community Garden,
W10 5NT. Join the team next week to help
build a “Bug Hotel". All ages welcome.

Improving Grenfell Enquiries and Complaints Service

Care for Grenfell, the one stop service from
the Council that provides a range of support
for those recovering from the tragedy, is
restructuring and changing its name to
Grenfell Enquiries.

The new team will ensure that the Council
provides a quicker and more efficient
response to enquiries received from anyone
affected by the Grenfell tragedy.

Grenfell Enquiries team are the initial
contact for all Grenfell-related enquiries;
housing, care and support and finance.

The team can be reached on the same
number 020 7745 6414. This line is
currently open from 8am to 8pm.

There is an emergency overnight
service which residents can reach
on the same number. Residents can
also contact the team via email on
grenfell.enquiries@rbkc.gov.uk

When someone calls or sends an email,
their issue will either be resolved by the
Grenfell Enquiries team then and there,
or they will be referred to the correct team
to ensure their enquiry is dealt
with appropriately.

The Grenfell Enquiries team can give you
advice on the following topics:

• Access to financial support

• KeyWorkers

• Planning school transport

• Ensuring food and clothing needs
are met

• Linking families to charities and other
community support groups

It can also refer you to teams which
deal with:

• Housing

• Care and support needs (including
counselling and therapy)

The enquiries team can also refer you to the
Grenfell Complaints service.

Complaints about Grenfell will be
investigated by a new, dedicated team.

The Grenfell Complaints team can be
contacted if you wish to formally make
a complaint about a Grenfell-related service,
individual providing the service
or decision made by the service.

The team can also be contacted if you wish
to formally compliment a Grenfell-related
service, individual providing the service or
decision made by the service.

See the website for further information

www.grenfellsupport.org.uk/

grenfell-enquiries

or contact

grenfellcomplaints@rbkc.gov.uk

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Grenfell Support News

18 May 2018

Activities Programme at The Curve Community Centre

Monday 21 May

• 10am-12pm -Women's cooking
group hosted byjada from the NHS
(drop-in)

• 5pm-7pm - Homework and
revision club with qualified tutor
forages 11 to 18 (drop-in)

• 5.30pm-7.30pm - Pre-ESOL English

• 8pm-11pm -Join us for Iftar this
Ramadan (hosted by Ramadan
Tent Project)

painadari Mubarak

Tuesday 22 May

• 9.30am-11.30am or 12.25pm-
2.30pm - ESOL - English language
classes (please book by emailing:
sakinah.touzani@westway.org)

• 10am-3pm - Drop-in sewing
club for all. Grow your skills,
knit and natter.

• 10.30am-12.30pm - Helping
children deal with loss
(please book by emailing:
thecurve.rbkc.gov.uk)

• 10.30am-12.30pm -Job search
workshops (drop-in)

• 2pm-4pm - Grief encounters with
Colin (drop-in counselling)

• 7pm - Iftar soup kitchen for the
displaced residents

Support Sessions
from Samaritans

Samaritans listening volunteers will be at
The Curve Community Centre, on Monday
21 and Tuesday 22 May. They will be there
to provide emotional support between
2pm and 6pm for anyone who has been
affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy,
specifically concerning the approaching
inquiry and anniversary.

The Creche's opening hours are:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday

10am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm.

No creche on Thursdays.

The Creche is for parents attending
appointments or courses at the Curve.
Other Curve users are also able to use the
creche space when attending an event or
activities. To book, please email:
thecurve@rbkc.gov.uk

Wednesday 23 May

• 9am-10.30am - MEND mini -
healthy lifestyles programme
for families (drop-in)

• 10am-12pm - World coffee
morning - free and open to all

• 10.30am-12.30pm -Job search
workshops

• 10.30am-12pm - Shared reading
group, open to all abilities.

• lOam-lpm - Felt making with
Heather F. Martin: introduction to
Nuno felting (please email
flourish@acava.org to book)

• 1pm-3.30pm -Adult book break
group - Come and enjoy shared
reading. Open to anyone with any
level of reading

• 2pm-4pm - Drug and
alcohol information (drop-in)

• 4pm-7pm - Girl's youth group for
ages 13+

• 5pm-7pm - Homework Club,
ages five-11 (drop-in)

• 8pm-11pm -Join us for Iftar this
Ramadan (hosted by Ramadan
Tent Project)

Thursday 24 May

• llam-lpm - Music cafe and
open mic

• lOam-lpm - Felt making with
Heather F. Martin (Introduction
to Nuno felting)

• 10.30am-12pm - Shared reading
group, open to all abilities

• 12pm-4pm - Persian older
people's group (come along
to relax and chat)

• 2pm-4pm - Drug and alcohol
drop-in

• 4pm-6pm- Young artists (ages
five-11. For keen young artists
looking to develop their skills

• 5pm-7pm - Homework club
ages five-11

Friday 25 May

• 9am-10.30am - Mend mini¬
weekly sessions ran by a registered
nutritionist and physical activity
specialist. Ages two to four years

• 5pm-8pm - Social club. Come
and play dominoes and ludo.
Refreshments provided.

Saturday 26 May

• 8pm - Ramadan Mubarak
soup kitchen

• 12am-2.30pm - Steel orchestra
workshop with Metronomes.
Forfamilies and children.

• 5pm- Iftar soup for displaced
residents

The Curve Community Centre opening
hours are 10am to 8pm Monday to
Friday and 11am to 6pm on weekends.

Some sessions need to be booked
in advance to secure your place, so

email thecurve@rbkc.gov.uk and they
will confirm your reservation by return.

n For a full list of events visit

grenfellsupport.org.uk/
thecurve/events

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Grenfell Support News

18 May 2018

Support services
on offer

Anyone who would like to speak to the
police in relation to the investigation
into the fire is asked to contact the Met
Police on 0800 032 4539

Important Contacts

Cruse Bereavement Care

Call the Freephone helpline on

0808 8081677 or email
helpline@cruse.org.uk.

The helpline is open Monday-Friday
from 9.30am-5pm. Extended hours
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
evenings, until 8pm.

Replacement UK passports, visas
or immigration queries

Call our advice line on 0300 303 2832.
The line is open 24 hours.

Air quality and smoke exposure

If you have concerns about
any symptoms, please see
your doctor or call NHS 111.

Housing support

If you have any questions about
housing or want to find out who
your housing officer is please call

0800137 111 or 020 7361 3008

Victim support

Call 08081689 111 for practical and
emotional support, or visit

victimsupport.org.uk. The line
is open 24 hours a day.

The Grenfell Muslim
Response Unit also offers additional
support. Find out more byemailing

info@gmru.co.uk

You can also get physical and mental
support at The Curve Community
Centre. Call 07712231133

Hestia, Central and North West
London NHS Foundation Trust,
and the Drug and Alcohol
Service are based overnight at the
Notting Hill Methodist Church,
Lancaster Road, from 10pm to
8am. Pop in for a chat and support,

Housing update

Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk

Grenfell

support

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Free nutrition workshop for men

Have you discovered the benefits of
healthy eating? Come and learn
interesting and useful information about
nutrition and health and how it can help
you get more out of life at Dalgarno
Trust, 1 Web Close, Dalgarno Way,
W10 5QB on Friday 25 May from
10.30am to 12.30pm.

You will learn howto cook on a budget
and how nutrition can help you with a
healthy lifestyle. All men are welcome.

To register please contact Davendra

on 020 8969 6300 or email
Davendra@dalgarnotrust.org.uk

Half term activities brochure now available

Make sure you don't miss out on the activities on offer for children, young people and
families this May half term (Monday 28 May to Friday 1 June). You can find out about
everything on offer in our May half term activities brochure, available online with this
link: bit.ly/2rKPmRK

Update on wrapping Grenfell Tower

The site management team are working to find the best solution to change the colour
of the wrapping without uncovering the Tower after receiving a recent proposal to do
this. As this solution is finalised and agreed with the community, the work to put up
scaffolding and the existing white wrapping will continue. The team still aim to cover the
Tower ahead of the anniversary of the tragedy. The final appearance of the wrapping
will be decided in consultation with the community. The Council will continue to work
with London Local Authority Gold to make sure all voices in the community are listened
to on this issue.

For regular updates please follow us | The newsletter is also available in Arabic and Farsi languages.

EJ facebook.com/grenfellsupport @grenfellsupport www.grenfellsupport.org.uk

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